Effects of Divorce on Children
Abstract
The study reviewed literature on the effects of parents divorce upon the children. The research thus demonstrated that divorce can cause numerous effects on the children which leads to broken relationships. Divorce effects have become a challenge that affects the social life of children as well as the parents. This has therefore caused parents as well as professions to develop the concern on the effects of parents divorce on the children based on different ages. This research is therefore crucial in helping individuals to develop understanding that it is challenging for the children to get over divorce. This research therefore considered the effects of divorce on all children. Divorce was established as traumatic event to the children’s personal life as it influences behaviors and the development of an individual. Divorce was also established to be influencing factor o emotional and physical damages on the children that are involved. Divorce is perhaps one of the most frustrating societal issue I the world today. This is because it has continuously affected the lives of individuals. In the past decades parents’ divorce and separation has become an undertaking that is casual. This is an unfortunate situation in which most children are forced to live with yet it causes un-repayable damages. This was therefore achieved by considering prior research o the matter summarization of the study’s findings as well as analyzing. Through the literature review of this study, the paper attempts to examine and determine the effects of separation on the children the paper will therefore seek to investigate the impacts of divorce on children in the literature review.
Literature review
Introduction
Decisive Marriage end is disastrous and the effects that it generates riffles throughout the lives of those that are connected to the divorced couple. Stress and chaos are some psychological effects that have been linked to divorce, proceed and the effects of a divided family. Children are more vulnerable to the impacts of divorce (Faber, & Wittenborn, 2010). This is mainly because they are unable to process and understand complex maters of life as thy results to optional expressions such as confusion and heartache. According to Faber, & Wittenborn, (2010) divorce does not cause any damage to children in negative form. The negative results of divorce often results from uncertainty feeling of things that are to happen after the procedure of divorce from conflict level between parents. The consequences of ending marriage is that they move to distinct places locations, in different schools and therefore they are not able to see both parents at similar time because most of the time they are forced. Negative effects of divorce of the children include grief, sadness, guilt, lowered education achievement, socio economic challenges and relationships difficulties (Faber, & Wittenborn, 2010).
According to, Finley, & Schwartz, (2010), divorce affects children in different modes. Divorce is an unintended family life event and it is a situation that affects people in the family in different ways (Finley, & Schwartz, 2010). The relationship that existed before the occurrence of divorce between parents and children may cause stress to children. The relationship between parents and children can be used as a representation of how children view relationship when they grow up. Many transformations occur during the procedure and after divorce which impacts different relationships (Finley, & Schwartz, 2010). Divorce therefore causes negative effect on the children as spending of time between the parents and the children is reduced and therefore the degree of the distance that grows between them is crucial is showing attachment (Rose, 2009). The end of any marriage affects the relationship connection between all individuals but those that are affected the most are the children. This affects then the most because they are characterized with immaturity and innocence and therefore they are unable to control stressful situations like the adults. The children therefore react in distinct ways which can range from subtle to being reactive (Finley, & Schwartz, 2010).
Thomas, & Woodside, (2011), divorce is the main stressor in life and is a lengthy procedure which usually results in long term psychological and emotional breakages to children. Divorce effects on children cause both economic and social challenges. several studies states that that children in preschool pollution ages are the most affected by divorce and others insists that there are no vulnerable ages (Thomas, & Woodside, 2011). Children involved in divorce were thus found to portray internalizing and externalizing issues such as emotional challenges, grief, fear, sadness, aggression, low achievements in education and raised rate of absenteeism. In addition divorce was established to impact children based on gender (Thomas, & Woodside, 2011). This is because boys are characterized with aggression and the girls were established with raised depression. Additionally divorce was established to a profound impact on the relationship between children and the parents which is caused by lack of social support from the family. The effects of divorce on children is limited to at least two years but also long term effects were also established like lowered attainment in education. The most influencing and relating factor to the negative impacts of divorce is the discords of the parents. In addition family conflict was also established to be a mediating variable of children’s divorce (Thomas, & Woodside, 2011).
Research Questions
What is the magnitude of the impacts that are associated with parental divorce?
Are the relations between children and parental divorce related to the functioning of children?
To what extend are the effects associations’ causal and what are the particular surrounding factors that explain the associations?
Results Analysis
Divorce is associated with at least a third to the increase of children’s impairment such as school drop outs or even the children experiencing their own divorce.
Methodology
A descriptive study methodology was utilized in determining the effects of parental divorce on the children. The target population for the research was parents and children who are involved in divorce event. A random survey in collaboration with questionnaires was adopted as it is characterized with low cost, range information, flexibility, speed and availability. Sampling of the population was also conducted which entailed parents and children in order to collect specified information which is helpful in gaining efficiency and reliability. A hundred parents including both men and women were selected, a hundred children from both genders were also selected.
Data was thus collected by emailing the questionnaires to the respondents which were then returned to the researcher at the agreed time. Out of the two hundred selected respondents 120 questionnaires were returned. Numeric data was then analyzed in a measure of qualitative by utilizing quick impression in order to summarize the given information. Qualitative data was analyzed manually as it is associated with simplicity and information ease. This was therefore conducted in order to obtain preliminary results and the results nature which had been used.
Target Population
The study’s target population involved individuals of ages between 15-60 years who have been engaged in the event of divorce in life course. The total target population was therefore 200 individuals with a responsive rate of 120 individuals.
Instrumentation
Gathering of data for the research involved a survey design approached where questionnaires were randomly sent to the respondents. The questionnaires used contained both closed and open ended questions to increase the range of data being collected as well as raise the reliability of the study.
Methodology Rational
The approach of survey was selected because it essential in gathering emotional, attitude and data concerning individual opinions. Divorce is a social issue and therefore understanding the effects it causes on the children the methodology was highly required. In addition the method was chosen to yield adequate and accurate information from the respondents. This is because the method is not biased and this helps in building trust between the researcher and the respondents.
Results Analysis and Discussion
Most of the respondents agreed that divorce has caused low academic achievement. This is because divorce caused them to develop lower confidence I conducting activities. This therefore lowered their concentration in school. In addition grief is also generated from divorce which makes it hard for the children to adapt to changes as they are stuck on the issues at home.
In addition the children also agreed that divorce affects other life elements like communication. This is because communication becomes difficult as they are unable to express themselves due to the overwhelming sadness that they experience. Additionally the gender that was established to be the most affected is the women. This is because they are characterized with lower ability to handle emotions as compared to the male gender. However the male gender was established to hold higher rate f aggressiveness than the female. Both genders agreed that after the divorce of their parents made them feel responsible and these results to guilt. Moreover divorce was indicated as a great influence on social withdrawal which is caused by self denial as the involved children are not ready to interact due to emotional impairment.
In conclusion parental divorce is characterized with increased risks for academic, psychological and social problems throughout the life of the children. Parental divorce experienced grief and aggressiveness which causes impairment issues. Children who experience parental divorce are more likely to experience emotional distress after the divorce. Divorce drains psychologically, emotionally, and financially for the children and the effects of divorce involve a negative financial impact on the family because the health issues that are caused on the children sometimes proves to drain the family financially. In order for the divorce effects to be reduced the parents have to solve the conflicts in preserved ways in order to avoid harming the children. If the issues cannot resolved the parents should try and dedicate adequate time to the children to enable them to move on and adjust to the changes. This is therefore essential because the parents are provided with social support which help in reducing sadness and grief which may lead to emotional impairments.
References
Faber, A., & Wittenborn, A. (2010). The role of attachment in children’s adjustment to divorce and Remarriage. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 21(2), 89-104. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Finley, G. E., & Schwartz, S. J. (2010). The divided world of the child: divorce and long-term psychosocial adjustment. Family Court Review, 48(3), 516-527. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Thomas, D., & Woodside, M. (2011). Resilience in adult children of divorce: a multiple case study. Marriage & Family Review, 47(4), 213-234. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Rose, S. (2009). A review of effectiveness of group work with children of divorce. Social Work With Groups, 32(3), 222-229. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
(Faber, & Wittenborn,2010) (Finley, & Schwartz, 2010) (Thomas, & Woodside, 2011) (Rose, 2009)
